PwC, pop stars and the PM’s post.
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Saturday Nov 18
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As Israel's bombardment and ground invasion escalated in Gaza and Australia's media and political class responded, Crikey's writers brought you a wealth of analysis and opinion on the unfolding story.

They evaluated the secrecy around Australia's potential complicity in Israel's strategy, considered Lachlan Murdoch's recent speech on hate, and tracked how the far right has co-opted pro-Palestine sentiment in an attempt to mainstream anti-Semitism.

Elsewhere we rifled through the mail of prime ministers past, kept following editorial rifts at the ABC, and asked questions about pop star’s political T-shirt.

We hope you're having an amazing weekend and thank you, more than ever, for supporting independent journalism.
Gina Rushton Gina Rushton,
Editor
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Rehumanising the discourse means telling stories of personhood in Gaza, not just horror
RACHEL COGHLAN

There is a narrative behind every horror witnessed in Gaza — one which must be sought out for the person it represents.

Displaced Palestinian children in Gaza (Image: EPA/Haitham Imad)
 
Thousands of Labor voters in Western Sydney campaign for Chris Minns’ resignation
ALEX MCKINNON

Voters from the traditional Labor heartland are even considering supporting independent or Greens candidates at the next election, fed up with Labor's silence on Israel.

NSW Premier Chris Minns (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi)
 
Incompetence, culture wars and conservatism dominate our political cycle
BERNARD KEANE

Will voters reward an effort to govern well, or will they be keener on following Peter Dutton into culture wars? The opposition leader wants to find out.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)
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Dear Lachlan, your campaign against hatred deserves warm support
BERNARD KEANE

Lachlan Murdoch has told his journalists to tackle anti-Semitism and hatred wherever it occurs, which is comforting, because there's a lot of it about.

Lachlan Murdoch (Image: EPA/Ron Sachs)
 
The right is using the fight against anti-Semitism to dehumanise Palestinians and justify slaughter
GUY RUNDLE

The right was routinely anti-Semitic for decades. Now it's anti-Palestinians. The object may change, but the desire to bully and victimise remains.

An air strike on the Gaza Strip (Image: EPA/Atef Safadi)
 
Dutton eager to exploit slaughter and hate 9/11-style — but he’s not alone
BERNARD KEANE

In the 9/11 mindset, there's always an existential crisis and a need for action that overrides protections. Now we're in it in Canberra and Sydney.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (Images: AAP)
 
The secrecy that surrounds Australia’s involvement in Israel’s atrocities
MAEVE MCGREGOR

Co-belligerency is more than a failure in soft diplomacy, as Australians are being kept in the dark about operations at Pine Gap.

A Palestinian boy stands amid the rubble of his Rafah home (Image: AP/Hatem Ali)
 
What does ‘national interest’ mean when it comes to Labor’s China policy?
WANNING SUN

The language around 'national interest' vs 'national security' has the Albanese government walking a tightrope.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese receives a ceremonial welcome in Beijing (Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)
 
Sweaty T-shirts, tampons and other ‘weird shit’ people have sent to politicians
CHARLIE LEWIS

Last week it was a bag of weed sent to Scott Morrison. This week ANU researcher Daniel Casey offers a wild history of props being sent to PMs.

(Image: Zennie/Private Media)
 
Anti-vaxxers are winning local elections across Western Australia
CAM WILSON

Without much ado, a network of conspiracy theory-promoting councillors were elected across Western Australia last month.

Anti-vaccine, conspiracy group Stand Up Now Australia's local strategy, Community Connect, with its founder Peter Harris (Image: Stand Up Now Australia)
 
Sunak makes Cameron foreign secretary, says AUKUS will help UK ‘shape the world’
ANTON NILSSON

The nuclear subs pact will allow the UK to be 'hard-headed', PM Rishi Sunak says as he brings former PM David Cameron back to cabinet.

David Cameron leaves Downing Street after being appointed foreign secretary (Image: AP/PA/James Manning)
 
ABC boss slams activist journos, and Barnaby invites News Corp to his big day
DAANYAL SAEED

In this week's Media Briefs, ABC journos cop a blast from the boss, News Corp re-Joyces at a country wedding, and spinning a yarn in WA.

Barnaby Joyce (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi/Private Media)
 
PwC’s Russian sanctions scandal confirms ‘ethical failure of big business’: Greens senator
ANTON NILSSON

The accounting firm's Cyprus arm is being investigated for alleged attempts to help its Russian clients evade sanctions.

(Image: Private Media/Zennie)
 
Australia’s far-right figures are trying to co-opt the pro-Palestine movement
CAM WILSON

Anti-fascist researchers have warned that accounts with histories of far-right activism are taking advantage of pro-Palestine content.

Simeon Boikov, and a flyer for a pro-Palestine protest by anti-vax, anti-lockdown figures (Images: Telegram)
 
Robbie Williams wears his support for anti-vaxxer RFK Jr’s presidential campaign
CAM WILSON

The pop superstar who has flirted with conspiracy theories in the past was spotted wearing a 'Kennedy 2024' shirt in Sydney.

Robbie Williams (Image: Seven)